Opinion
Following on from my Test match world XI is the ODI side, made up of current 50-over cricketers from across the globe.
The same rules apply to this team, with only one player to be selected from any nation.
While opinions may vary as to whether the suspended Shakib al-Hasan should be selected in this side, the Bangladeshi all-rounder hasn’t been considered for selection in light of his current ban.
With that in mind, here is the XI.
78 ODIs, 3289 runs at 52.2, SR 74.37, 17 50s, nine centuries
West Indian opener Shai Hope has had a terrific start to his ODI career, compiling nine centuries and averaging over 50 in the format.
After beginning his career in the middle order, Hope has transformed himself into an opener, averaging 88.5 at the top of the order.
The West Indian has scored seven of his nine ODI centuries opening the batting and has passed 50 in 14 of his 23 innings as opener.
While Hope typically keeps in ODI cricket, he is familiar with playing as a specialist batsman, having kept in just two of his 31 Tests.
(Randy Brooks/AFP/Getty Images)
121 ODIs, 5135 runs at 44.65, SR 94.84, 25 50s, 15 centuries. 164 catches, nine stumpings
Explosive South African Quinton De Kock takes the other opening position in this side, providing an attacking foil to his slower West Indian partner.
South African cricket appears to be investing in De Kock to lead its team going forwards following a wave of retirements and the loss of domestic talent to Kolpak deals.
De Kock has 15 ODI centuries, all as an opening batsman, and has performed well against strong opponents, with an average of over 60 against both India and England.
While there is a multitude of options to wear the gloves in this line-up, the South African gets the nod, having played fewer matches as a specialist batsmen than the other wicketkeepers in this line-up.
(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
248 ODIs, 11867 runs at 59.33, SR 93.25, 58 50s, 43 centuries
Indian Captain Virat Kohli leads this side, batting in his preferred No. 3 position. The perfect man to anchor an innings, Kohli averages almost 60 in ODI cricket and has scored a staggering 43 centuries across almost 250 matches.
The Indian captain averages 62.9 at No. 3, the highest in ODI history (minimum 20 innings), and has hundreds against every opponent he’s played against more than twice.
Kohli is a particularly good second innings player, guiding his team to victory in countless run chases, with 26 second innings centuries.
(Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
218 ODIs, 6174 runs at 36.31, SR 79.21, 38 50s, seven centuries
Having occupied the wicketkeeper position in the Test XI, Mushfiqur Rahim also features in the ODI side, this time in a middle-order batting role.
The Bangladesh veteran has been one of his side’s best players in recent years, having averaged 49.01, including six centuries, since the start of 2014, batting predominantly in the middle order.
A career average of 36.31 therefore undersells what Rahim can offer to the team, with middling performances at the start of his career dragging down his overall average.
Rahim has made hundreds against India, South Africa, and Australia, including a score of 102 not out against the Aussies in the 2019 World Cup. He bats in his preferred number four position in this side, where he has made all seven of his ODI hundreds, and averaged 43.48.
217 ODIs, 5830 runs at 41.94, SR 83.32, 40 50s, three centuries; 120 wickets at 33.35, economy 4.62
Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews comes in at No. 5, where he has batted in 87 ODIs, averaging 51.08, with two centuries and 24 50s.
Mathews has a fantastic overall record and has been particularly good in recent years, averaging 48 in 2019, 52.5 in 2018, 63.66 in 2017 and 47.27 in 2016.
While his output with the ball at Test level belies his status as an all-rounder, the Sri Lankan provides a solid bowling option in limited-overs cricket, conceding just 4.62 runs per over in ODIs.
As his bowling output has lessened in recent years, Mathews would be the sixth bowling option in this team, providing an alternative to the frontline bowlers if necessary.
142 ODIs, 3843 runs at 40.88, SR 119.83, 20 50s, nine centuries
English wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler is one of the best death hitters in one-day cricket, scoring at a fantastic strike rate of almost 120.
Despite the high-risk nature of his batting, Buttler has managed to score nine ODI centuries and maintain an average above 40.
Indeed the Englishmen has the third-highest strike rate in ODI history but averages considerably more than most others on this list. He has England’s seventh-highest all-time ODI average and has the highest strike rate.
Buttler is ranked 19th in the ICC batting rankings, but everyone ahead of him bats in the top order, reflecting the scarcity of lower-order players who are able to score not just quickly but also consistently.
(Michael Steele/Getty Images)
53 ODIs, 952 runs at 41.39, SR 109.67, five 50s, no centuries; 42 wickets at 44.4, economy 4.83
With Virat Kohli squeezing Babar Azam out of the side, Imad Wasim represents Pakistan in the ODI XI. One of the world’s best T20 bowlers, Wasim hasn’t had the same success with the ball in ODI cricket, yet he still offers an economical option, conceding just 4.83 runs per over.
While the Pakistani spinner is yet to register an ODI hundred, he contributes valuable cameos at the end of the innings, maintaining a healthy average above 40 and scoring at a strike rate bettered by only 12 men in ODI history.
Wasim can contribute to the team with both bat and ball and would likely share the fifth bowler duties with Angelo Mathews.
71 ODIs, 905 runs at 19.25, SR 99.88, four 50s, no centuries; 133 wickets at 18.54, economy 4.16
While Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan was hesitantly selected in the Test XI, his place in the ODI side is much more assured.
The Afghani spinner is one of the best short-form bowlers in world cricket, taking his wickets at an astonishing average of 18.54 in ODIs.
Rashid’s economy rate is also an asset to the team, building pressure on batsmen to increase the scoring rate. Indeed the leg spinner has bowled in 67 ODIs, conceding more than a run a ball on just five occasions.
He also offers a batting option at No. 8, allowing the team to bat with more freedom in the last 15 overs knowing that the tail can contribute with the bat
91 ODIs, 178 wickets at 22.22, economy 5.1
Mitchell Starc is one of the world’s best bowlers in the ODI format, having been leading wicket-taker in the last two World Cups. Indeed Starc has taken 49 wickets at 14.81 in World Cups, lifting his game for the most important tournament in world cricket.
Starc is ranked tenth in the ICC bowling rankings for the ODI format, having performed exceptionally in the 50-over game for a number of years. The left-armer is terrific with both the new and old ball, getting swing at the start of the innings, and hitting precise yorkers during the death overs.
(Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto)
90 ODIs, 164 wickets at 25.29, economy 5.03
An excellent three-format bowler, New Zealand’s Trent Boult has particularly excelled with the white ball at the international level.
Like Starc, the New Zealand left-armer has performed exceptionally in World Cup cricket, taking 31 wickets at 21.79 and playing a pivotal role in helping his nation reach two consecutive World Cup Finals. Boult was the equal leading wicket-taker in the 2015 World Cup, with 22 wickets.
The Kiwi quick has been in fine form in ODI cricket, taking 38 wickets at 23.97 in the 2019 calendar year.
75 ODIs, 106 wickets at 27.87, economy 4.78
Irish quick Boyd Rankin takes the final place in the XI as a solid third seam bowling option.
The 35-year-old began his international career playing for Ireland before playing ten matches for England across all formats and then returning to Ireland. Curiously, in 2013 Rankin took figures of 4-46 in the only match he has played against the nation he now regularly represents.
The veteran quick hadn’t managed regular international selection prior to 2018 but played 25 ODIs across 2018 and 2019, taking 43 wickets at 24.3.
With Starc and Boult likely to take the new ball, Rankin would play as the third seam bowler. While he hasn’t performed this role regularly, the Irishmen has 24 wickets at 20.83 in innings where he has been used at first change.
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